How does the Escapist Work and Survive?!

[Azmael Silverlance]

Hookay. Ive been around the site and forum for awhile now. And i totally love the escapist.
The forum always has inetresting news to look up. There is always some interesting topic where you can ROFL-LMAO yourself...hell i even enjoy the occasional trolling...
The site has awesome videos.... i mean...i like most other users here joined cuz of yahtzee...

But with the new shows coming up...comic contracts up for grabs...anime reviewers wanted and whatnot...i started to think....how does the Escapist operate...where do you guys get the funds to keep going? Cuz looking around i dont really see stuff that spells "Sponsor" on it...
So if somebody could explain the nuts n bolts of this web magazine id be very gratefull ^^
N id prefer someone whos somehow involved more deeply in the escapist than just being a forum member with 20,000 posts.

p.p: I hope this kind of question wont get me banned :X

 

[Insanum]

Err...Look up and down.

See those? Those are ads. The more site traffic the more money. I have a feeling this site will be fine. Yaaay!

(sorry, That came across as bitchy, It wasnt meant with any malicious intent)

 

[smallharmlesskitten]

Advertising.

Assume 1 million views a month. 1c a page view. (Probably entirely different but they do earn a lot)

some of their video makers cna earn a full time living off their pay apparently

 

[AvsJoe]

If you really want to watch what's going on behind the scenes, the video series "The Escapist Presents" will show you what you want to see.

 

[Neonbob]

I was ninja'd to the "real" answer(ads a plenty).
So I have to tell you that it runs off your soul.
By using the power contained in the souls of anyone with more than 1000 posts, the servers have enough power to run.

 

[Insanum]

I was ninja'd to the "real" answer(ads a plenty).
So I have to tell you that it runs off your soul.
By using the power contained in the souls of anyone with more than 1000 posts, the servers have enough power to run.

SO THATS WHAT THAT TINGLING SENSATION WAS!

And here was me thinking it was a stro*slumps*

 

[Neonbob]

I was ninja'd to the "real" answer(ads a plenty).
So I have to tell you that it runs off your soul.
By using the power contained in the souls of anyone with more than 1000 posts, the servers have enough power to run.

SO THATS WHAT THAT TINGLING SENSATION WAS!

And here was me thinking it was a stro*slumps*

Yes indeed.
Don't worry, the fainting spells will pass eventually.
And then you will get a feeling of peace.
Or you'll go batshit. Either way is good, really.

 

[Mcupobob]

You never seen those annoying ad at the beggining of most of the shows? Also I can see a levi's ad right now as I'm typing.

 

[Pimppeter2]

So I have to tell you that it runs off your soul.
By using the power contained in the souls of anyone with more than 1000 posts, the servers have enough power to run.

Yes, me and neonbob here have discussed this pressing issue before.

The only way to break this cycle is to take the One Thread to the top of the Crack of Doom in Mordor.

 

[Insanum]

So I have to tell you that it runs off your soul.
By using the power contained in the souls of anyone with more than 1000 posts, the servers have enough power to run.

Yes, me and neonbob here have discussed this pressing issue before.

The only way to break this cycle is to take the One Thread to the top of the Crack of Doom in Mordor.

Or do a Max.

The escapist only runs on Pure Souls...

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

I was ninja'd to the "real" answer(ads a plenty).
So I have to tell you that it runs off your soul.
By using the power contained in the souls of anyone with more than 1000 posts, the servers have enough power to run.

SO THATS WHAT THAT TINGLING SENSATION WAS!

And here was me thinking it was a stro*slumps*

Yes indeed.
Don't worry, the fainting spells will pass eventually.
And then you will get a feeling of peace.
Or you'll go batshit. Either way is good, really.

Just remember that when you go batshit, to post it on the Escapist. Some of us <1000 want to be able to know how much we need to save for future defense court costs.

Plus it could make a good weekly collumn that could finance your own defense fund.

 

[Neonbob]

So I have to tell you that it runs off your soul.
By using the power contained in the souls of anyone with more than 1000 posts, the servers have enough power to run.

Yes, me and neonbob here have discussed this pressing issue before.

The only way to break this cycle is to take the One Thread to the top of the Crack of Doom in Mordor.

Of course, first we have to find that One Thread.

Just remember that when you go batshit, to post it on the Escapist. Some of us <1000 want to be able to know how much we need to save for future defense court costs.

Plus it could make a good weekly collumn that could finance your own defense fund.

And psychotics are just great fun.
We should start a focus group for the nutters.
Oh right! There's <url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/Asylum-open-mic>already one in place!

 

[Revolutionary]

Look at the badges..........now consider the ammount of ads ive seen getting those.

 

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

started to think[,] how does the Escapist operate. [W]here do [they] get the funds to keep going?

The business side of the Escapist isn't discussed a lot, so a lot of what folks say here is just speculation. Getting an official comment seems incredibly unlikely, so I'm going to stay pretty brief on the topic.

The Escapist Magazine is a smaller part of a larger media company, Themis Group. I believe, though am not sure, that Themis outsources a lot of content. They offer freelance GMs, whom I assume work under contract, and earn revenue, as well as create content such as Warcry and the Escapist.

As I understand it, the majority of the income from the Escapist comes from the banner advertisements and sponsorships. I feel like the ads are the majority of the revenue, as they're changing pretty consistently. According to the Wiki [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escapist_Magazine#cite_note-Next-5] article, the Escapist had 150,000 regular readers in October 2006, and has probably since grown considerably. The "About" [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/content/about] page lists it as 25,000,000 page views a month. The income from the advertisements alone probbably pay for the content. Although there's also a store, which probably operates at a profit.

That's about as far as I'm willing to speculate, but that probably covers your question well enough.

 

[Jark212]

It works in cells. One operates at a time, if one goes quiet another activates...

You could be walking around town, not knowing if the person that's at the hot dog cart is a reviewer, your own mother could be a admin...

 

[Kuliani]

started to think[,] how does the Escapist operate. [W]here do [they] get the funds to keep going?

The business side of the Escapist isn't discussed a lot, so a lot of what folks say here is just speculation. Getting an official comment seems incredibly unlikely,

Correct, getting an official answer is the same as confirming part of a business model, which is hidden like a secret sauce in private companies. Also, we don't sell secret sauce. Definitely not. Nope. Forget anything about sauce for we don't sell it.

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

Those little squares on the top and side of your screen you find annoying? Those are advertisements and that's what give these guys they money they need to operate.